1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an outboard motor control apparatus, particularly to an apparatus for controlling an outboard motor with a transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there is proposed an outboard motor having a transmission interposed at a power transmission shaft between an internal combustion engine and a propeller to change an output of the engine in speed and transmit it to the propeller, as taught, for example, by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2009-190671. In the reference, when a throttle lever is manipulated by the operator to accelerate the boat speed, a gear position (ratio) of the transmission is changed from the second speed to the first speed to amplify torque to be transmitted to the propeller, thereby improving the acceleration performance. After that, when the engine speed is increased and the acceleration is completed, the transmission is changed back from the first speed to the second speed. There is also known an outboard motor having, in addition to the transmission, a trim angle regulation mechanism for regulating a trim angle relative to the boat.